After reading the article, the guy sounds like he has an extreme case of bi-polar disorder. I'm surprised no one around him spotted it since the article describes him as being extremely motivated and making outlandish claims on some days and then being late to his post and very shy and withdrawn on other days.

sunderland56:> Mims, a gas turbine systems technician who was frocked to a petty officer third class

So, no gays in the military, but they're allowed to cross dress??

ha. i've been out so long i forget the exact definition, but I believe 'frocking' was when you were allowed to wear the rank but you weren't yet getting the $$$. something like if you passed the exam, you got to wear the next rank but the paperwork lag meant you wouldn't quite the money yet. something like that. and it was kind of a big deal - it meant you were a great worker and the captain would have a frocking ceremony for all the, well, frockees or whatever we were callled. i got it when i got second class.

70Ford:Mims could have been apprehended prior to his discovery when another sailor spotted him in the middle of the night, days earlier. But that sailor just went back to sleep instead of sounding the alarm.

I bet that sailor was gently reprimanded and returned back to duty with no worries and high expectation for the rest of his career. I mean, it's an honest mistake, right?

darklingscribe:After reading the article, the guy sounds like he has an extreme case of bi-polar disorder. I'm surprised no one around him spotted it since the article describes him as being extremely motivated and making outlandish claims on some days and then being late to his post and very shy and withdrawn on other days.

Between willful ignorance, not wanting to attract attention, and people being overworked, it's easy to miss. This is even worse in combat arms. I've seen people who fortunately chapter out before hurting themselves or someone else, and I've seen the consequences of waiting too long to get a soldier some help. There's a stigma, especially in infantry units, against asking for help. You just suck it up and drive on. Chain of command will act like they didn't know because they don't want to deal with the problem or think that it will affect their career.

Not surprised this buddy that spotted him just went to back to sleep. I've seen that particular maneuver more than once, too. Sounds like there were some profound breakdowns in command throughout that ship.

my friend had a drinking problem. got a DUI. when he went to tell the captain, they were having a nice heart to heart dialogue, as he later told me. "you know, the Navy can help you, we will do whatever we can to help, don't give up,", etc. my friend was feeling very down int he dumps as it was his second time being in alcohol trouble. he later tells us, "i said, 'maybe i shouldn't be here anymore'." which in his mind, meant, "maybe the Navy isn't my thing."

the captain heard it differently. Friend says he noticed the CO reach under the desk nonchalantly, and then 20-30 seconds later 2 security guys rush in and grab my friend. they take him to the hospital, and then he spend like, 96 hours in the psych ward. CO thought he was having suicidal ideation, not second guessing his career choice.

friend says it was dreadful. eveyrbody except him was crazy - he kept insisting he was fine. the doctor he had kept telling him his problme was, he wouldn't accept that he was gay. friend is like "I'M NOT GAY, DAMMIT! AND I'M NOT CRAZY! LET ME OUT!"

To The Escape Zeppelin!:BumpInTheNight: Im_Gumby: Not subby and DRTFA, but curious: How many of you would gladly accept the deal that you could legit launch 1D6 fireballs at will if you had feces on you?

70Ford:Mims could have been apprehended prior to his discovery when another sailor spotted him in the middle of the night, days earlier. But that sailor just went back to sleep instead of sounding the alarm.

I bet that sailor was gently reprimanded and returned back to duty with no worries and high expectation for the rest of his career. I mean, it's an honest mistake, right?

Glockenspiel Hero:The captain was hated in part because he'd stick sailors in the brig on bread and water for three days as a punishment for minor errors.

standard navy punishment, matter of fact. now, for what were people being disciplined for is another matter but yeah, when i was in, that was pretty common. half months' pay for 2 months, 3 days in the brig with just bread and water, and 30 days restriction (can't leave the base) upon release.

only one guy i knew well got that. said it was about as fun as you'd expect. the bread would clog you up and they'd have daily medical checks to make sure you were ok. some guy i vaguely knew got 30 days in the brig and i believe discharged.

Glockenspiel Hero:Geez, read the linked article about morale aboard the Shiloh. The captain was hated in part because he'd stick sailors in the brig on bread and water for three days as a punishment for minor errors.

Surprised it didn't talk about him playing with a bunch of steel balls all the time.

rickythepenguin:sunderland56: > Mims, a gas turbine systems technician who was frocked to a petty officer third class

So, no gays in the military, but they're allowed to cross dress??

ha. i've been out so long i forget the exact definition, but I believe 'frocking' was when you were allowed to wear the rank but you weren't yet getting the $$$. something like if you passed the exam, you got to wear the next rank but the paperwork lag meant you wouldn't quite the money yet. something like that. and it was kind of a big deal - it meant you were a great worker and the captain would have a frocking ceremony for all the, well, frockees or whatever we were callled. i got it when i got second class.

yea it was frockees silly ceremony, Give me my paycheck was on my mind like other sailors when in.

invictus2:yea it was frockees silly ceremony, Give me my paycheck was on my mind like other sailors when in.

one of my good PO3 friends got busted to Seaman for reasons I don't remember....he didn't have the money to get new dungarees so - this apparently complied with uniform regs - he sharpie'd out his crow, and drew french fries on his arm. he wore that several times and no one raised a MILPERSMAN stink.....then his uniform allowance came in eventually.....